How to Set a Meter Base

Hold the meter box and screw a meter socket hub onto the opening on top of the meter box, using screws supplied with the hub. Locate the studs with a stud finder where you wish to mount the box, then mark the stud locations with a pencil.

Mount the box upright onto the wall following the height allowed by your local government electric code. Use a level to align the box vertically and horizontally before you screw it into a stud behind the wall.

Screw the riser pipe onto the meter socket hub. Align the pipe vertically, then secure the pipe onto the wall using clamps placed at each end of the pipe, and at one-third and two-thirds of the pipe length.

Drop three cables into the top opening of the pipe down to the meter box. Remove the meter box cover, then pull the cables from inside the box. Cut the cable after allowing at least 18 inches of cable to dangle from the top of the pipe. Climb to the top of the pipe and slip the three 18-inch cables through a weatherhead. Plug the weatherhead onto the tip of the pipe.

Strip off an inch of cable insulation from the end of each cable inside the meter box with a utility knife. Plug the two black (hot) cables to each outer terminal lug (hot) in the upper half of the meter socket in any order with an Allen wrench. Plug the neutral, or black cable, with white tape to the center terminal lug (neutral) in the upper half of the meter socket.

Slip the three cables running from the electrical panel into the opening at the base of the meter box. Pull the cables from inside the box and strip off an inch of insulation from the tip of each cable. Plug the two black (hot) cables to each outer terminal lug in the lower half of the meter socket. Plug the black cable with white marking onto the center lug in the lower half of the meter socket. Tighten all lugs firmly and make sure that there are no loose connections.

Slide the grounding wire running from the ground rods through the opening at the base of the meter box, then wrap the wire onto the grounding screw in the meter socket. Replace the meter box cover and visit your local government electrical inspector's office to have the device inspected.